Glasgow Labour MSP Anne McTaggart has spoken out against the barbaric actions of the Taliban in Pakistan who killed 150 school children in Pashawar last month.

Ms McTaggart was speaking in her Scottish Labour colleague Hanzala Malik MSPs member’s business debate on the tragedy at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 14th January.

Ms McTaggart said “I express my deepest sympathies to the victims, their families and anyone else who has been affected by this horrific terrorist attack. This atrocity demonstrated that children in Pakistan are not safe even when they are in school.

“According to UNICEF UK, a child dies from violence every five minutes somewhere in the world. We need to make efforts to end violence against children not only in Pakistan, but across the world. We also need to enhance stability in Pakistan following the tragedy. Like other members, I believe that, in the long run, education provides one of the best assurances of stability.

“It is vital that we support the people of Pakistan in these difficult times, that we provide aid to improve education and that we continue to work together internationally to counter terrorism.”